Since Europeans' rights now expire in 2 years (just like Major Junior prospects), drafting collegians gives teams four years to watch their prospects develop:

June 25, RedWingsCentral: "If you look at the overall draft, there weren't a lot of Europeans taken," Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill said. "It's a lot of high school, junior A and college guys taken. The new CBA dictates that."
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The new trend in drafting involves a certain element of risk. Players such as Smith and Rufenach can't play in a top junior circuit such as the Ontario Hockey League because it will wipe out their NCAA eligibility, and that means scouts have a harder time evaluating them.

"It's hard, but go over to Europe and see some of these leagues they're playing in," Nill said. "They aren't very high either so take your pick."

Nill says that Brendan Smith is very similar to the last undersized, "off the charts" defenceman the Wings drafted:

"He reminds me a lot of Niklas Kronwall at the same age, just a little bit bigger," Nill said. "He's a real good skater, very mobile. He moves the puck well. He's taller than Kronwall but he's got to get stronger."

Rufenach is truly a long-shot, but the Wings' scouts know that, too:

"Our scouts just kind of liked his potential -- he's raw, he's a good skater, he moves the puck well and he competes hard," Nill said. "Skating and moving the puck are his best assets. Like everybody, he's got to get stronger. He's going to a good school and we just hope he develops."

June 24, ESPN: Smith hasn't faced much competition yet, playing in Junior A, but he'll learn quite a bit at the University of Wisconsin. He plays hard, skates well and has some very big offensive upside (if it develops). He is not an immediate guy for fantasy owners to consider.